Method of packing dried fruits and the like



Sept. 29, 1936. c. B. PAPE 2,055,800

METHOD 0F PACKING DRIED FRUITS AND THE LIKE Filed April '7, 1953 IN VEN TOR.

A TTORNEYS.

Patented Sept. 29, 1936 UNITED sTATEs METHOD oF PACKING DRIED FRUITS AND e THE LIKE Clifford B. rape, san

Jose, Calif., assignor to California Prune and Apricot Growers Association, San Jose, Calif.,

fornia a corporation of Cali- Application April 7, 1933, Serial No. 664,927

3 Claims.

This invention relates to a method of packing dried fruits and the like.

The invention has for its particular object the provision of a method of packing dried fruits wherein an efficient means is produced to denitely exclude insects from the contents of the package and as a result 0f which the possibility of contamination is greatly minimized.

Another object oi this invention is the provision of a method of packing prunes and the like in a manner to accomplish the above-described result at a comparatively negligible cost while at the same time completely removing the hazard of spoilage ci the fruit as a result of practice of the method.

The invention has other objects which will be more clearly set forth as the specification pro-'ia ceeds and the novelty of the invention will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

It is a well known fact that many packaged foods, particularly those put up in paper or cardboard cartons or wooden boxes are subject to contamination by insects and this is especially true of cereal and fruit products due to certain properties possessed by these commodities pe-I culiarly attractive to various forms of insect life. This results from the inability of the packer to Vmechanically seal such packages effectively at a 'permissible cost. This problem is believed entirely overcome by the present invention by means of a comparatively simple step in the process of packing.

It is to be noted that prunes are illustrated in the drawing and described in the specication as 35 an example only, since the process is equally applicable to other edible products.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of prunes in bulk with the wrappers partly folded thereabout, showing the coating applied to the wrappers,

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the package resulting from completion of the step illustrated in Figure 1 showing the coated side of the wrappers entirely exposed, and

Figure 3 1s a section of a carton or box with the primary package placed therein.

The numeral i designates a block of prunes about to be encompassed by .the wrappers 2, and 4, the outer surfaces oi Which have been coated with a mineral oil or some other element having insect repellant characteristics. rI'he wrappers 2 and 3, it will be observed, extend under the bulk of prunes for just a portion oi their length, it being their function to cover the ends and top of the pack, while the side wrapper d covers the bottom and sides of the prunes.

The numeral 5 designates a carton or wooden box into which the package shown in Figure 2 is placed.

It is a well known fact that insects breathe through their bodies and that if this natural function is prevented, they will expire. Thus, in the present invention it is an object to prevent insects, which may obtain access to the inner package or wrapper immediately encasing the goods, from being able to crawl thereover, in an effort to reach the contents, and breathe while so doing.

Using a pure mineral oil in experiments, it was found that by making up a package such as is shown in Figure 2 completely coated with such oil, the article could be left in infected areas for months at a time and still be kept free of contamination. This has not been true of any of the so-called carton packages heretofore in use, and is believed a radical step toward the goal of minimizing waste or spoilage of a certain percentage of the annual pack.

While one form of package has been shown in the accompanying drawing, it should be understood that the invention may be practiced with any type of package wherein inner and outer wrappers are used, hence I do not want to be limited to this one form but rather desire to be protected to the full scope of the appended claims.

Similarly, other coatings than mineral oil may be employed so long as they possess the characteristics of the former as to lasting qualities and ability to cling to the bodies of the insects. Therefore, I am not to be understood as limiting myself to the use of this specific element.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is'.

A 1. A method of packing dried fruits and the like which comprises the steps of coating a wrapping paper with a mineral oil, wrapping the fruit in said paper with the coated side of the paper exposed, and then placing the fruit thus wrapped in a container.

2. A method of packing dried fruit and the like which comprises the steps of coating wrapping paper with an insect repellant consisting of mineral oil, wrapping the fruit in said paper with the uncoated side thereof next to the fruit, and then placing the fruit thus wrapped in a contalner.

3. A method of packing dried fruits and the like which comprises the steps of coating wrapping paper with an oily substance of retarded congealability, wrapping the fruit in said paper with the coated side thereof exposed, and then placing the fruit thus wrapped in a container.

CLIFFORD B. PAPE. 

